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Iranian-American Friendship Action (IAFA) - First Party, February 1998
About one hundred and fifty people attended the first
IAFA party in
Austin Texas
where almost fifty of them were American. The audience were welcomed at
the door,
then were given a name tag, and escorted to the dinner table.
After an hour of socializing and eating and drinking. Dr, Ali
Poursepanj,
founder of IAFA welcomed every one and mentioned that this party is
about celebration
of human diversity and global community and outlined the format of the
rest of the evening.
First Dr Fatehi, a Math professor at the South West Texas University
gave the audience general information
about Iran. Dr Fatehi is also president of
Iranian Cultural Community
of Austin. Then Dr Saeid kazeminejad,
president of
Association of Iranian Professional of Austin, talked about his
organization and its activities. Next,
Miss Parisa Fatehi, president of
Iranian student organization at the
University of Texas at Austin talked about
their activities at the university. Then, Professor Ali Jazayeri, a
professor of linguistic at the University of Texas at Austin talked
about Iranian language and answered questions from the Audience about
Iran.
After a few American guests shared their experience about Iran, an Iranian band
called
1001 Nights started to play Iranian
music. Mr. Kamern Hooshmand is the leader of the band and they have been
playing in Austin for several years.
The interesting thing about the party was that all the work was done by
volunteers. They all did
an excellent job to make this happen. All the volunteers, about 20
people, did the work
for something that was bigger than themselves, a goal that they all
shared. The spirit was great and there was an atmosphere of friendship
and joy during the entire party.
The Americans who attended the party had been invited from various
communities in Austin.
| People who helped to put IAFA's first party together were: |
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| Advertising team: | Bahareh Poursepanj, Azadeh Poursepanj, Colin Gunkel
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| Food team: | Shanaz Hemmati, Robert Abbasi, Mohtaram Shomali, Shahla Hemmati, Ali Poursepanj
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| Music team: | Kamran Hooshmand and 1001 Nights
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| Party place arrangement: | Dr Ahmad Fatehi
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| Photography: | Cristina Flores, Shahnaz Hemmati, Shahla hemmati
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| Welcoming team: | Merhdad Yamini, Homayoun Poursepanj, Farideh Babazadeh,
Farshid, Fardad, and Farhad Fatehi
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